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Abilene Christian (9-7, 3-0 Southland Conference) scorched the nets by making 16 of 27 from 3-point range (59 percent) and shooting 58 percent overall. NSU fell to 7-8 and 2-2 in the league.

"I think they got off to a roll early, and we never led in the game," said NSU coach Mike McConathy. "They got confidence, and from there, they just made shots and made shots.

"We weren't helping recover all night. Every time it seemed like we were fixing to climb back in the game, we would get a defensive breakdown, and they would pitch it out and somebody else would make a 3-pointer."

Jalan West led the last Demons' charge, scoring six points in a 10-3 run to cut ACU's lead to 85-76 with 2:38 remaining.

But Wentz made a pair of free throws and Hawkins drained a step-back jumper as the Demons never came closer.

West scored 30 points, his second straight 30-plus-point game after a 33-point effort Saturday in a win against Incarnate Word. But the Bossier City native said winning is all that matters, and he shoulders the blame for the defensive performance.

"You start getting deflated because you rotate a lot, and they did a great job of moving the ball and finishing," West said. "Tonight was their night to make shots, and we weren't defending and making shots.

"It starts with me because I'm the team leader, and if my teammates see me getting after it, they'll get after it. I took a step back tonight because I didn't lead and take a sense of urgency and try to get after their guards."

Incarnate Word made 12 3-pointers Saturday in a 103-101 NSU win, and the Demons entered the game allowing an average of 84 points.

ACU's 16 3-pointers is the most NSU has allowed this season.

Abilene Christian coach Joe Golding joked with Wentz after the game that the junior guard "owed" him a performance like Wentz's 7-of-9 effort from long range after going 1-of-7 Saturday in a win against Nicholls State.

"I just have a good group of guys behind me and a great coaching staff. Sometimes it goes in, and sometimes it doesn't," Wentz said in a postgame radio interview. "When you have coaches and players that are patting you on the butt saying, 'Come on man, do it,' it's just a fun basketball game."

ACU, a team that's scored 44 points or less three times this season, averaged 68 points entering Tuesday's game. The Wildcats passed that mark with 12 minutes to go on a Wentz 3-pointer, leading 72-50.

The Wildcats stretched an early one-point lead with a 15-7 run to go up 22-13. Wentz made two 3-pointers with Hawkins making one of his five 3-pointers.

NSU junior transfer Tony Dobbinson single-handedly kept the Demons in the game by scoring 19 of his career-high 21 points in the first half.

ACU led 39-23 after two consecutive Wentz 3-pointers with five minutes remaining, but Dobbinson scored 14 of his 19 first-half points in that span.

His fallaway 3-pointer at the first-half buzzer cut ACU's lead to 46-37.

"I felt like we needed to attack them because they are much smaller," said Dobbinson, whose previous season-high was eight points. "We just needed to play more defense.

"I do feel more comfortable now, and I feel like the team is helping me get there."

NSU came as close as 48-42 early in the second half, but Williams and Wentz drained 3-pointers to spark a 19-8 run for a 67-50 lead.

The Demons return to Prather Coliseum on Saturday against Lamar (9-7, 3-1 SLC) with the men tipping at 3 p.m. as McConathy will take his second stab at career win 600.